Free checklist
Excavation support and shoringExcavation support and shoring rough-in inspection checklist
Excavation support and shoring rough-in is the last time the work is fully visible. Once the cover inspection passes and the walls, ceilings and slabs close, every defect left behind becomes a demolition bill. This checklist walks the rough-in in the order the work goes in, with the photo each item needs before it gets buried. Work is commonly verified against the project geotechnical report and specifications, the applicable building code. Confirm the edition your authority having jurisdiction has adopted.
- Items
- 5
- Photos required
- 9
- Built for
- General contractors
Who runs it
The GC's superintendent with the shoring subcontractor's foreman, and the shoring engineer's field rep on proof-load days.
When in the schedule
As each lift is excavated and supported — member installation, lagging, anchors and bracing all get checked before the next lift is dug, since the design assumes support keeps pace with the cut.
The checklist
Every item, and the photo that proves it
The photo count on each row is what RTI would require before the item can be submitted. Copy the list as is, or load it into RTI and let the gate enforce it.
Wall members
- 2 photos
Member size, spacing and embedment match the engineered design
Soldier pile or sheet section, spacing and tip elevation checked against the shoring drawings, embedment below subgrade verified, not assumed from the driving length.
- 2 photos
Lagging installed tight to the face as excavation proceeds
Lagging placed promptly behind the face each lift, boards in full contact with soil, voids packed, no unsupported height left open.
Anchors and bracing
- 2 photos
Tieback or anchor installation and proof load observed
Anchor drilled and grouted to the design length and inclination, proof or performance load witnessed and recorded against the acceptance criteria before lock-off.
- 2 photos
Wales and internal bracing installed and connected
Wale sections, struts and connections match the design, bearing tight, no missing bolts or field-cut members reducing capacity.
Groundwater
- 1 photo
Dewatering keeping the cut and subgrade stable
Groundwater drawn below the working level per the dewatering plan, no piping or boiling at subgrade, discharge running clear rather than carrying fines.
What usually sends this back
The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work
- Soldier piles or sheets driven to a shallower tip than the design embedment because obstructions were hit, and the cut proceeds anyway.
- Lagging left behind the excavation face, so soil ravels and voids form between the boards before they're placed.
- A tieback locked off without a witnessed proof load, so a marginal anchor isn't found until the wall starts moving.
Run it with the Photo Gate
A checklist nobody can submit half-finished
Load this list into RTI, stick a QR tag on the area it covers, and the submit button stays locked until every mandatory item is answered and the 9 required photos exist. Approved walks roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper-evident record behind every line.
Submission state
The gate is enforced on the server, so it holds even if the phone is offline when the walk happens.
Common questions
- What does this excavation support and shoring rough-in checklist cover?
- 5 items across 3 sections, covering wall members, anchors and bracing, groundwater. Each item spells out what the person walking the job is actually looking for, not just a box to tick.
- Who should run this inspection?
- The GC's superintendent with the shoring subcontractor's foreman, and the shoring engineer's field rep on proof-load days.
- When in the schedule should this walk happen?
- As each lift is excavated and supported — member installation, lagging, anchors and bracing all get checked before the next lift is dug, since the design assumes support keeps pace with the cut.
- Why does every item ask for a photo?
- 9 of the 5 items call for photo evidence. A checklist answer without the photo is a claim; the photo is what makes the record worth something in a dispute and lets a reviewer approve work without re-walking the job.
- What most often fails a excavation support and shoring rough-in inspection?
- Soldier piles or sheets driven to a shallower tip than the design embedment because obstructions were hit, and the cut proceeds anyway. Lagging left behind the excavation face, so soil ravels and voids form between the boards before they're placed. A tieback locked off without a witnessed proof load, so a marginal anchor isn't found until the wall starts moving.
- Can I use this checklist in RTI?
- Yes. Start a free RTI workspace, build this list as a checklist, and the Photo Gate holds the submit button until every mandatory item is answered and its photos are attached. Approved inspections roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper-evident audit trail.
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